Can Algae Grow the Future for Bangladesh. Dr Can Algae Grow the Future for Bangladesh? Dr. Kauser Jahan Professor, Civil & Environmental Engineering Rowan University Glassboro, New Jersey

BANGLADESH Bounded by India on the north and west, by India and Burma on the east, and by the bay of Bengal on the south. Clearly divided into two distinct regions - the North Eastern and the South Eastern mountain ranges and the vast alluvial plainlands

Geography/People Area: Land area:133,910 sq km Comparative area: slightly smaller than Wisconsin Population: 150 Million (July 2016) Ranks ## in the world Capital: Dhaka Language: Bengali/English Currency: Taka Average Life Expectancy: 64 years Major Rivers: Padma, Meghana Annual Rainfall: 2000 mm Religions: Muslim 83%, Hindu 16%, Buddhist, Christian, Other Literacy: age 15 and over can read and write 56% of total population 63% males and 49% females

Government The borders of modern Bangladesh were established with the partition of Bengal and India in August 1947, when the region became East Pakistan as a part of the newly formed State of Pakistan. The British East India Company gained official control of Bengal following the Battle of Plassey in 1757. Bengal became a major trading port for bamboo, tea, sugar cane, spices, cotton, muslin, jute and indigo. Prime Minister: Sheikh Hasina Robert Clive's victory in Bengal marked the beginning of British colonial dominance in South Asia Lord Curzon was the man behind the Partition of Bengal  that gave modern Bangladesh its political boundaries.

IMPORTANT RELEVANT DATA GDP/capita USA $ 53,041.98 Bangladesh: $1,314  The World Bank 2015 study report shows Bangladesh has achieved significant progress in rural accessibility index compared to other developing countries of Asia and Africa. Bangladesh secured a rural accessibility index score 86.7 Microcredit, Women’s Empowerment, Technology USD 570 million.

Algae for Growing the Future of Bangladesh Bengali: Shobuj Soibal or Sheola (Scum) Records from the Ministry of Agricultural data show that 0.73 million hectares of land that are not suitable for any crop production can be used for algae production. Climate conducive for algae growth. Sunlight readily available. 300 species and varieties of freshwater algae have been described from Bangladesh. Extensive studies have been made on the freshwater blue-greens, euglenoids, chlorococcales, volvocales, zygnematales, oedogoniales, desmids, chaetophoralean algae, charalean members and red algae. 200 marine algal taxa (seaweeds) identified Fuel Aquaculture Food: Malnutrition & Other Uses Cosmetics Women’s Empowerment (grow your own algae for home use)

Japan Bangladesh Partnership with Euglena Euglena, is a microalgae with the features of both plants and animals and grows in fresh water. It can store energy by the means of photosynthesis like plants while it can also move around like other microorganisms.

Concerns- Arsenic in Bangladesh Bangladesh is the site of the “world’s largest mass arsenic poisoning in history” The arsenic is naturally occurring in the alluvial and deltaic sediments in the aquifers An estimated 75 million people are at risk of developing health effects from arsenic ingestion Approximately 1/3 of all the wells in Bangladesh have arsenic concentration exceeding the standard of 50 ppb Some areas have arsenic levels 40 times higher than the standard and over half the wells in the country have concentrations exceeding the World Health Organization’s standard of 0.01 mg/L USEPA , WHO Standard MCL 10 ppb

Conclusions Algae can be a viable industry for Bangladesh Algae culture (freshwater and marine) will lead to jobs and empowerment Reduce fossil fuel dependency Eliminate childhood malnutrition Assist in developing other industries such as cosmetics, medicine, health and food. Social changes